Mac Power Users

828: Revisiting Keyboard Maestro

121 snips
Dec 21, 2025
Dive into the world of Keyboard Maestro as hosts explore its origins and how it outshines Shortcuts for serious automation. Learn about its trigger-action model, practical beginner use cases, and advanced features like clipboard management and UI scripting. They discuss integrating with Stream Deck and the pros and cons of text expansion. The show also touches on app-specific shortcuts, conflict palettes, and the vibrant community that supports users. To cap it off, they weigh in on its worth compared to alternatives like Alfred.
Ask episode
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
INSIGHT

Keyboard Maestro’s Longstanding Mac Advantage

  • Keyboard Maestro is a mature, Mac-only automation tool with deep system integration built over two decades.
  • Its longevity and single-developer focus give it access to macOS internals that newer tools often cannot reach.
ADVICE

Start By Learning Triggers And Actions

  • Learn Keyboard Maestro by mastering its triggers and actions first.
  • Use that working knowledge to solve small problems and then chain actions for more complex automations.
ADVICE

Use App-Specific Macro Groups

  • Use contextual app-specific macro groups so shortcuts only run inside a given app.
  • This prevents conflicts and lets you reuse simple key combos across different apps safely.
Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode
Get the app